Tell Me
by LittleChances
Summary: Natasha Romanoff may believe that her mask could hide how she was really feeling, but Steve Rogers wasn't easily fooled. He pushes to get the truth from her in hopes that she would finally open up to him.


**Hey guys! Thank you so much for the support you gave me for my other Romanogers fic! You do not know how much it means to me that you guys liked that one. I am thinking about writing a few more if you guys are into it. Just let me know. Anyways this may not be the best story ever but I hope you do enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel Cinematic Universe.**

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Steve Rogers was doing what he did best when he was angry, working out his frustration. It was very similar to when Fury first approached him to join the Avengers. It's only been a few days since the Avengers were able to defeat Ultron and his army of drones. The team was split up for the most part, leaving in their wake, a brand new team for Steve to train.

He was alone in the New Avengers Facility since all of the other guys went home for the day. For this he was happy because the last thing he needed was his team seeing their leader losing it. Some people may blame any stress or frustration that the Captain was displaying on training the new recruits, but that wasn't it at all. Instead all of this pent up rage he felt was because of a certain red-head partner. It's not in the way some people would assume. She wasn't the problem. It was her situation that angered him.

Since their victory, Steve and Natasha have been working together to fix any kinks that the New Avengers may have. Their job was to make sure that this new team was battle-ready whenever they were called into action. Despite the fact that Steve and Natasha were working together, they weren't really working together. Natasha barely interacted with anyone, Steve included. She drew herself away and only put in her two cents when it was to tell someone when they did something wrong. There was nothing that the team could do because if they even tried, she gave them her deadliest glare which instantly chased them away.

With that in mind, Steve began throwing punches at the hanging sandbag. The power behind the punches could be heard throughout the training room. Images began running through his mind that fueled the punches. Bruce and Natasha flirting. Him telling Bruce not to wait. Bruce and Natasha at Clint's farm. Natasha with her expressionless face during training as she tried to mask the hurt she felt from Bruce's leaving. With his mind focused on Natasha's pain, he pulled his arm back and sent the punching bag flying across the room.

"Wow, Rogers. Took you less than two minutes. Must be a new record." A voice from behind startled him.

"Yeah, well I'm trying to get all my anger out." Steve replied as he grabbed another bag.

"Something bothering you?"

"Maybe." Steve began punching the new bag but with much less power considering that he now had an audience. He continued without looking back once at the intruder.

Steve didn't see it, but the person behind him rolled his eyes at him. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Didn't know you cared, Romanoff."

"Never really said I did, but you know I do."

He stopped punching and let out a huff before turning around to face her. "Do I? I've been trying to help you after I saw how devastated you were when Banner left but you just shut me out! You shut everyone out! You've barely said a word to me since day one of training this new team."

"I didn't ask for any of you to help me. I don't need it. I'm fine." She stressed the last sentence but Steve didn't believe those words one bit. "Banner leaving doesn't mean a thing to me. I'm the same as I've always been."

"Cut the crap, Natasha. You think that mask you have on is fooling everyone, but it's not. I can see how much you're hurting. You may have forgotten, but I know you. Maybe not as much as Clint, but I know you. Why can't you just let me help you?"

"Because I don't need it. Why don't you mind your own business, Rogers?" Steve could see that she was getting defensive, but unlike most people he wasn't going to let it go.

"Because you are my friend. I want to help you. You can talk to me, Nat."

Natasha was getting aggravated. "There's nothing to talk about, Steve. He left me, I got over it. End of story. Is that what you wanted? I'm telling you, I'm fine."

"Come on, Nat. You know that isn't what I'm looking for. Just talk to me. Tell me how you're feeling." Steve pressed. Most people would have backed away from Natasha Romanoff as she got angry, but not Steve. He knew she needed help but with Barton not here, there was no one else she would even consider talking to besides him.

"Seriously, Steve. Why can't you just let it go? There's nothing wrong with me." Even as she said it, she could feel her resolve breaking. "He left thinking he was a monster. He said that no one could or should love a monster like him. He didn't even give me a chance. I could've helped him see that he was not a monster. That he was a good person. But none of that matters. He left me."

"You know, I know exactly how you feel, Natasha. It's okay." He tried to get close to her but she freaked out in a totally not Natasha way. Somehow Steve was the one, besides Clint, that Natasha allowed to see this. Even if it wasn't intentional.

"It's not okay!" She shouted as she jumped away from him. "There is no way that you could know how I feel. You are Captain America! No one would leave you! You left the girl back in the 40's not the other way around. You don't know what it's like for someone to leave you behind."

Steve chuckled at that. "You're wrong." He walked over to the bench and sat down. He slowly began unwrapping the tape around his hand before speaking again. "Well, you're right about one thing. I did leave Peggy behind but it was to stop HYDRA. But you're wrong about the other part. After I woke up from the ice. I met a girl."

Natasha actually interested and slightly relieved that they were no longer talking about her wanted to know more. "What happened to her?"

"I waited too long. I never said a word to her about how I felt."

"Why not?" Natasha asked as she took a seat next to him.

"She was always talking about her failures and mistakes and regrets. I knew that no matter what I said, she would never believe me because she was such a stubborn women. No matter how hard you try to get through to her, it just didn't work. Nothing would help until she realized that there is good in her. That she wasn't a monster. I don't think that she was able to learn that until she saw someone who was in her shoes." Steve explained.

"What happened to her?"

"Do you really want to know?" She nodded. "Well, it took her quite awhile, but I think she learned her lesson. As a matter of fact, she's sitting right next to me." Natasha Romanoff was shocked. Knowing that he was talking about her, she didn't think that she could meet his eyes now. "Hey, Nat. Come on. Look at me." Being a bit petty, she shook her head.

Steve put an arm around her. Without even thinking about it, she leaned into him. "Why me?" She whispered so quietly she didn't think he heard, but he did.

"Why not you? You're strong, independent, courageous, beautiful, and most importantly not a monster." He looked down at her and saw that slowly she was beginning to believe his words. "Besides, if you were a monster, you'd probably be an ugly, smelly one. And I wouldn't like you."

She smiled for the first time in a long time and then pushed him off the bench.

"Hey! What was that for?" He demanded, however he could not keep the small grin off his face after seeing Natasha smile.

"For calling me an ugly, smelly monster."

"Correction. I said if you were a monster, you would be an ugly, smelly one. I also said you were not one."

"Sweet talking isn't going to get you anywhere, Rogers."

"I don't know. I think it might." With that, Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to her. "Distracted you just long enough to keep you from expecting that."

"Okay, Rogers. I'll admit you got it that time. Just know that it won't be happening again."

"I'll take what I can get." He said as he helped her up. "So what happens now?"

"Well if you still want to, I'm willing to give this a try. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"You never leave me."

"I promise that I will never leave you." He told her sincerely. "And I will do anything in my power to keep that promise."

"Yeah, you better." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"What, no lips?"

Natasha gasped. "What happened to my innocent, inexperienced Steve Rogers?"

"He grew up and wants more."

"Well soldier, sorry to hear that. You're just going to have to work for it."

"I can live with that."

He reached down and grabbed her hand as they walked out together, beginning a beautiful relationship.


End file.
